Swami Photography

Window light is soft and gorgeous because a window is like a large softbox. Place your model close to the window and position them so that one side of their face faces the window to get that nice side light.

We saw how pillars get nice side light. But in fact, any area with an indoor/outdoor partition will get you nice side light.

A little bit of hair light can add depth and visual interest to your image. Position your subject, so the sun is behind them and adjust their positioning until the hair glows.

Here's a trick to find beautiful, natural side light. Observe how light falls on objects (like pillars, wall edges, or trees).

Whether you're using natural or artificial light, position your model so the light hits them from the side.

Don't make your subjects face the sun when you shoot on a bright sunny day. They'll squint. And weird shadows might form on their faces. You should face the sun instead.

The evening sky goes through various stages of twilight as the sun journeys below the horizon. Knowing these stages can help you plan your shoot, especially for landscapes.

If you're shooting anything outdoors, shoot around sunrise or sunset. Not only is the sky more interesting, but the light is softer--which means your camera can see a wider spectrum of colors. Landscapes and portraits turn out much nicer when shot during "golden hour."